Improvement in amalgamators



.T. W. BANCROFT 89 T. WALKER.

AMALGAMATOR.

Patented Nov Z3, 1875.

PATENT Orr-roe.

UNITED STATES j JosErH W. BANGROFT AND THOMAS WALKER, or PHILADELPHIA, PA.

' IMPROVEMENT lN AMALG'VAMATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,329, dated November 23, 1875; application filed April 17, 1875.

object we attain in the manner which we will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of our amalgamating apparatus, and Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section.

A is a retort, the lower portion A of which is, by preference, continued in an inclined direction from the upper portion the lower end being furnished with a detachable plate, a, or other equivalent contrivance. The upper portion of the retort is contained within a suitable furnace, of which B is the fire-place, b the grate, and'D a flue, through which the products of combustion take a circuitous course in contact with the retort until they escape 'at a: to the chimney. Within the upper portion of the retort we arrange one or more valves, d and e, which weprefer to makelike ordinary throttle-valves, the spindles passing through the brick-work of the furnace, so that either valve can be made to assume the position shown by dotted lines. I r

it should be understood that these valves either fit so freely within the retort or are so.

perforated that the vapors of mercury re; ferred to hereafter can pass upward through the retort, the valves being merely supporters of the pulverized ores. At or near the junction of the upper with the lower portion of the retort we suspend within the same a cupshaped valve, G, having trunnions adapted to bearings, as shown in Fig. 3, one of the trunnions projectin g through the brick-work,

and being provided with a handle, so that the valve may be tilted, and its contents dis.- charged into the lower portion of the retort. This valve is so tight to its seat when closed as to cut off the communication between the upper and lower portions of the retort, this lower portion being provided with a valve, f, similar to the valves d'and e.

In using the above-described apparatus the pulverized ore containing the precious metals is permitted to pass froma hopper into the upper portion of the retort, where itis supported by the valve d then, by tilting this valve, the ore is permitted to fall onto the valve 6 of the chamber 71-. In the meantime mercury has been deposited in the receptacle ot' the valve G by pouring it into the funnel i, and permitting it to flow thence through the pipe J into the said receptacle. The chargeof ore, having been gradually'heated in the chamber h, is now permitted to fall' onto the valve G by tilting the valve 6 preparatory to the intro duction of a new charge of ore into the said chamber h. In the chamber at the ore is subjected to the direct action of the vapors of mercury; in fact, more or less of these vapor-S pass upward through the ore in the chamber h, through that in the chamber above, where it is condensed by contact with the fresh cold ore. After the ore has remained in the chamber m for a sufficient length of time the. cuplike valve Gr is tilted, and the contents of the chamber discharged into the chamber a in the I lower portion A of the retort, where it is permitted to become somewhat cool, and is finally discharged. into the lowest chamberq, from whichit may, after closing the valve f, and

by removing the cover or valve or, be per-- mitted to fall into water, where it can be washed in the usual manner, so as to separate the earthy particles from the amalgamated metals, which'ma-y be separated by the usual treatment. v

Although we prefer the placing of the mercury in the receptacle of the valve Gr, this is not absolutely essential to our invention. There may, for instance, be a vessel, to, projecting from one side of the retort into the line of the furnace, as shown in Fig. 4, orinto a separate furnace, the mercury being introduced into this vessel through a pipe projecting through the side of the furnace, and the vapors passing into the retort at a point above the valve G.

It will be seen that the operations of charge ing the retort with ore, subjecting the latter 2 i a i 170.329

to the "apor of mercury, and the discharge of the heatedn ore from theretort maybe conducted without any interruption other than that demanded in. subjecting each'charge of ore to the mercurytreatment.

We claim as our invention-- 1 1.. An amalgamating-retort combined with a furnace, and having a movable valve, G, for supporting a charge of ore while it is being subjected to the vapor of 'mercury, and for discharging the ore, all substantially as set forth.

2.1'1he cup-shaped valve G, hung within the retort, in combination with the pipe J, through which mercury may be introduced into the. receptacle of the valve, all substantially as set forth.

:3. The combination, in the retort, ofia tight fitting ore-supporting valve, G, with valvese and d, for supporting the ore without obstructing the outward passage of the vapor of mercury, as specified. 3

valves Gandfiand a stopper orcap detachable from the lower end of the retort, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the two subscribing witnesses.

J OS. W. BAN CROFT.

THOS. WALKER.

Witnesses:

HARRY SMITH, .HUBERT HOWSON.

4. The combination, in .th B IGtOIBy Of the presence of i 

